Conrad, Montana Wastewater Treatment Plant Chosen to Receive ARRA Funds

6/19/2009 -- (Helena) – Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) have chosen the City of Conrad’s wastewater treatment plant upgrade for a low interest loan and funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009(ARRA). The new facility should dramatically improve the quality of the treated water which is discharged to the Marias River.

"Improving the City of Conrad’s wastewater treatment will keep the Marias River clean and protect the water for decades to come," said Governor Brian Schweitzer. "This is a good project that needed reinvestment."

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Conrad city officials and their engineer, Morrison Maierle, have worked with various state and federal agencies to pull together funding for the project. One of these funding sources is the DEQ’s Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund (WPCSRF) which will provide a total of $3,242,000 in loan interest loans. In addition, the program will be providing $750,000 from the ARRA which includes $359,300 in low interest loans and $390,700 in principal forgiveness.

Construction on the project is expected to be complete in 2010. Typical ARRA loan terms through the WPCSRF program are for 20 years.

The loan is one of several completed each year through the DEQ’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund program. The program loans money to public entities across the state, helping communities and organizations undertake a variety of water quality improvement projects. The DEQ, in conjunction with the Montana Department of Natural Resources, awards about $10 million to $20 million each year. The loan program is supported in part by annual grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information about the Water Pollution Control State Revolving Fund or ARRA funds being distributed by the DEQ please visit the department website at www.deq.mt.gov.

Source: Montana Governor